Shower device



Oct. 8, 1968 K. A. SUMIDAI 3,404,410

SHOWER DEVICE Filed Nov. 30, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K. A. SUMIDA 3,404,410

SHOWER DEVICE Get. 8, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 21 Filed Nov. 30, 1966 United States Patent 3,404,410 SHOWER DEVICE Kuuio A. Sumida, 1114 N. Kenter Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90049 Filed Nov. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 597,906 14 Claims. (Cl. 4--145) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a shower installation which can be adapted to be used in ways not available in present shower installations. The shower installation includes a first rigid pipe support connected at a first end to a water supply and connected at a second end to one end of a flexible tube. The other end of the flexible tube is connected to a shower head assembly which is adjustable in position. A clamp is removably and slidably secured at one end to the rigid support pipe and at the other end releasably receives and retains the shower head assembly.

Background of the invention In a conventional shower construction the height of the shower head is fixed and therefore the height is optimum only for a person of a given height and is unsatisfactory for a child. A further disadvantage of a conventional shower structure is that it is not readily adjustable to keep from wetting a persons hair. It is also to be noted that in using a conventional shower only the upper part of a persons body is subjected to efficient washing action by direct impact of the projected water. There is also need for provision in a shower of means to wash down wall and/ or tub surfaces of the shower.

Summary of the invention.

The invention provides a spray head on a handle which is connected by a flexible tube to an elevated rigid vertical supply pipe, the supply pipe being spaced slightly from the wall of a shower stall. Preferably and advantageously all of the parts are made of a suitable plastic material such as Derlin. Normally a manual releasable bracket or dual clamp attaches the handle in upright position to the vertical supply pipe for use of the shower head in a conventional manner. Since the shower head directs the water downward and is adjustable in height along the vertical pipe, a person may adjust the height of the shower head to keep the stream of water below the neck line to avoid wetting the hair. For this purpose the shower head delivers a fan-shaped stream of water in a downwardly inclined direction.

Whenever desired, the handle that carries the shower head may be detached from the fixed vertical pipe to permit the shower head to be used as a hand device for applying the stream of water to various parts of the body or for employing the stream of water to wash down the surfaces of the shower stall or the surfaces of a bathtub. One feature of the invention is that the shower head may be rotated through a range of positions relative to the handle to facilitate use of the shower head to wash down surfaces. Another feature is that the shower head is conveniently detachable from the handle to permit the handle to function as a hand held nozzle to project a solid jet of water which may serve, for example, for washing the hair.

A further feature of the invention is the use of a novel bracket or dual clamp for attaching the handle of the shower head to the vertical supply pipe. With the shower head handle separated from the clamp, the clamp only loosely engages the vertical supply pipe so that the clamp may be readily slid up and down the supply pipe for height adjustment of the shower head. Once the bracket Patented Get. 8, 1968 is adjusted for height, the shower head handle may be forced into engagement of the clamp with the vertical pipe to maintain the height adjustment.

The various features and advantages of the invention may be understood from the following detailed descrip' tion together with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower stall showing the presently preferred embodiment of the invention arranged to function as a conventional shower head;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the shower head proper;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a bracket or dual clamp showing how one pair of jaws of the clamp may be squeezed together to open the other pair of jaws for engagement with the vertical supply pipe;

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing how forcing the handle of the shower head assembly into engagement with one pair of jaws of the dual clamp causes the other pair of jaws to tighten its grip on the vertical supply pipe;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shower head assembly; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing how an end of the flexible tube may be releasably attached both to the shower head assembly and to the vertical supply pipe.

Detailed description Referring to FIG. 1 the principal parts of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention include: a rigid vertical supply pipe or rigid support pipe 10 spaced from the wall of the shower stall and supported by an elbow fitting 12 that is mounted on the usual projecting nipple 14 of a water system; a shower head assembly comprising a shower head 16 releasably mounted on a tubular handle 18; a flexible tube 20 of suitable plastic or elastomeric material connecting the tubular handle 18 to the supply pipe 10; and a bracket or dual clam, generally designated 22, for releasably and adjustably mounting the shower head assembly on the vertical supply pipe. Preferably all of these parts are made of a suitable plastic such as Delrin.

It is contemplated that the tube 20 will be releasably attached both to the supply pipe 10 and to the handle 18 to permit the tube to be replaced conveniently whenever necessary. For this purpose one end of the tube 20 may be connected to the supply pipe 10 in the manner shown in FIG. 6 and identical fittings may be employed to connect the other end of the tube to the handle 18.

In FIG. 6, a fitting 24 having a radial flange 25 is telescoped into the lower end of the supply pipe 10 and is permanently bonded thereto by suitable cement. The fitting 24 has a tapered end portion 26 to cooperate with a corresponding tapered outer sleeve 28 that threads onto the fitting 24 in the manner indicated in FIG. 6. The tapered end portion '26 of the fitting 24 is wedged into the end of the flexible tube 20 and then the outer sleeve 28 is screwed tight onto the fitting to clamp the end of the tube against the tapered end portion 26. As shown in FIG. 5 the outer tapered sleeve 28 may be formed with longitudinal serrations 30 to facilitate manual rotation of the sleeve.

As indicated in FIG. 5, preferably the tubular handle 18 of the shower head assembly is made in two molded pieces which are cemented together and joined along the line 32. The handle 18 has an angled end portion 34 on which the shower head 16 is removably mounted and in the absence of the shower head the end portion serves as a nozzle for projecting a solid jet of water. Preferably, as indicated in FIG. 4, the cross section of the handle 18 is of generally square configuration with slightly rounded sides to facilitate gripping the handle with a desirable 3 orientation of the shower head when the shower head assembly is employed as a hand spray.

As shown in FIG. 2, the angled nozzle end 34 of the tubular handle 18 may have a tapered tubular extension 35 which is formed with a circumferential rib or bead 36. The shower head 16 is formed with a corresponding tapered base portion 38 which telescopes over the tubular extension 35 and which is formed with an inner circumferential groove 40 that normally seats the bead 36 to retain the shower head on the tubular handle and to permit rotational adjustment of the shower head relative to the handle. Since the plastic material has a desirable degree of resilient flexibility, the shower head 16 may be easily and quickly removed and replaced by the user. When the shower head is replaced it snaps into engagement with the circumferential head 36.

Referring again to FIG. 2 the shower head 16 has an axial flow passage 42 in alignment with the nozzle end of the handle 18 and this axial flow passage is provided with a radial discharge port 44. The shower head 16 is further formed with a radial deflector 45 that blocks the end of the flow passage 42 and overhangs the radial discharge port 44. As shown in FIG. 5 the radial deflector 45 is of divergent configuration with overhanging flanges 46 along its opposite divergent sides and consequently forms a fan-shaped stream of water projected at an angle of 90 relative to the axis of the passage 42. A special advantage is that such a shower head cannot become clogged.

It has been found to be highly advantageous to direct the fan shaped stream of water downwardly at approximately 55 from horizontal to avoid wetting the hair of the user. To provide this optimum angle, the tapered end portion 34 of the handle 18 is preferably inclined at an angle of 35 relative to the axis of the main portion of the handle.

The bracket or dual clamp 22 is preferably of the construction shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the dual clamp being in the form of a one-piece body of suitably resilient plastic material such as Delrin. As viewed in plan in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dual clamp 22 has two opposite longitudinal side portions 50 that are hingedly interconnected by an integral body portion such as a transverse web 52. Two corresponding ends of the two side portions 50 form a first pair of jaws 54 of suitable inside curvature to grip the supply pipe 10 as shown in FIG. 4 and the other ends of the two side portions form a second pair of jaws 55 to grip the handle 18 of the shower head assembly.

The two jaws 55 are preferably formed with confronting inwardly extending stop projections 56 which meet to limit the extent to which the two jaws 55 may be squeezed towards each other and thereby prevent overstressing of the transverse web 52. It is to be noted that the two stop projections 56 also have the function of cooperating with the two jaws 55 to grip the handle 18. In the construction shown, the two jaws 55 are formed inner shoulders 58 for hook engagement with two opposite corners of the cross section of the handle 18 and the two stop projections 56 cooperate to engage a third corner.

The manner in which the invention functions to serve its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description. To adjust the height of the shower head 16 for use in the manner of a conventional shower device, the tubular handle 18 is pulled free from the dual clamp 22 and then the two jaws 55 of the dual clamp are squeezed towards each other as indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 3 to loosen the grip of the two jaws 54 on the vertical pipe 10 to permit the dual clamp to slide freely along the length of the supply pipe, the two stop projections 56 meeting to prevent overstressing of the web 52. With the dual clamp 22 adjusted at the desired elevation on the vertical pipe 10, the tubular handle 18 is again forced into engagement with the two jaws 55 with consequent rocking of the two side portions 50 to cause the two jaws 54 to grip the vertical pipe firmly. At the same time,

the gripping of the vertical pipe 10 by the two jaws 54 causes reaction of the two longitudinal side portions 50 to cause the two jaws 55 to grip the handle 18 in a firm manner.

The user may easily pull the handle 18 free from the jaws 55 of the dual clamp to permit the shower head assembly to be employed in the manner of a hand spray for directing the fan-shaped stream of water against the users body or to flush down the surfaces of the shower. For flushing down the surfaces of the shower, it is advantageous to rotate the shower head relative to the handle to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 5. If the user desires to employ a solid jet of water, it is a simple matter to pull the shower head 16 free from the tubular handle 18 to permit use of the tubular handle as a jet nozzle with the jet stream at an angle to the handle. The device may be employed in this manner to wash a persons hair or the device may be used in this manner to wash any part of the body or to flush the surfaces of the shower stall.

My description in specific detail of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention will suggest various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shower structure of the character described for use in a shower stall, the combination of:

a rigid support pipe adapted for installation at an elevated position in the shower stall;

a flexible tube for connection to a pressurized water pp y;

a shower head assembly mounted on the outlet end of the flexible tube, said assembly including a handle and a shower head mounted thereon; and

a dual clamp to engage said rigid support pipe and said shower head assembly respectively for normally releasably attaching the shower head assembly to the rigid support pipe,

said dual clamp comprising a body with two longitudinal side portions interconnected by a transverse web,

said two longitudinal side portions forming a first pair of jaws at one end of the body to grip said rigid support pipe and forming a second pair of jaws at the other end of the body to grip said showed head assembly, said body being made of resiliently flexible plastic material whereby said web flexes to permit rocking of said side portions relative to each other,

said side portions and web being so shaped and dimensioned that spreading apart of either of the two pairs of jaws tends to close the other of the two pairs of jaws,

whereby gripping said support with the first pair of jaws and then forcing the shower head assembly into engagement with the second pair of jaws results in the shower head assembly spreading apart the second pair of jaws with consequent tightening of the first pair of jaws against the rigid support pipe.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said first pair of jaws loosens its grip on said rigid support pipe in response to manual closing movement of the second pair of jaws;

and in which said dual clamp incorporates stop means to limit the manual closing action of the second pair of jaws thereby to avoid overstressing of said transverse web.

3. In a shower structure of the character described, a shower head assembly for use on the end of a flexible supply tube, said assembly comprising:

a tubular handle, one end of the handle being connected to the flexible tube, the handle having an end grip portion adjacent said one end, the other end of the handle being at an angle to said hand grip portion; and

a shower head on said other end of the handle, said shower head having a flow passage in alignment with said other end of the handle and having a radial discharge port at the outer end of the flow passage,

said shower head further having an outwardly divergent radially extending deflector across the end of the flow passage and overhanging the radial discharge port to form a fan-shaped stream of water.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said deflector has flanges extending along its divergent side edges to confine the deflected stream of water.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said shower head is rotatably adjustable on the handle.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said shower head is removable and said angled end portion of the handle is a nozzle to project a stream of water in the absence of the shower head.

7. A clamp to grip two objects for releasably interconnecting the two objects, said clamp comprising:

a body having two longitudinal side portions interconnected by a transverse web, said two longitudinal side portions fOrming a first pair of jaws at one end of the body to grip one of the objects and forming a second pair of jaws at the other end of the body to grip the other object,

said body being made of resiliently flexible plastic material whereby said web permits rocking of said side portions relative to each other,

said side portions and web beging so shaped and dimensioned that spreading apart of either of the two pairs of jaws tends to close the other of the two pairs of aws,

whereby inserting the first object into the first pair of jaws and then inserting the second object into the second pair of jaws results in the second object spreading the second pair of jaws with consequent tightening of the first pair of jaws against the first object.

8. A dual clamp as set forth in claim 7 which incorpo rates stop means to limit the degree to which the second pair of jaws may be manually contracted for the purpose of opening the first pair of jaws, thereby to prevent over stressing of said transverse web.

9. In a shower structure of the character described for use in a shower stall to receive water from a pressurized water supply, the combination of:

a rigid support pipe having first and second opposite ends and constructed to be installed at an elevated position in the shower stall at the first end;

a flexible tube constructed to be connected to the rigid support pipe at the second end of the rigid support pipe, the flexible tube having an outlet end opposite to the connection to the rigid support pipe;

a shower head assembly mounted on the outlet end of the flexible tube, said assembly including a handle attached to the outlet end of the flexible tube and further including a shower head mounted on the handle; and

a clamp slidably attached to said rigid support pipe and constructed to releasably receive and retain the shower head assembly.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which the shower head is detachable from the handle and the handle is a nozzle for discharging a jet of water in the absence of the shower head.

11. In a shower structure of the character described for use in a shower stall to receive water from a pressurized water supply, the. combination of:

a rigid support pipe having first and second ends and constructed to be attached to the pressurized water supply at the first end;

a flexible tube having first and second ends and constructed to be attached at the first end to the second end of the rigid support pipe;

a shower head assembly including a. handle attached to the second end of the flexible tube and having a shower head mounted on the handle; and

a clamp having first and second portions each having a pair of jaws for respectively receiving the rigid support pipe and the shower head assembly, the jaws in the first portion of the clamp having a variable spacing to provide for a sliding movement of the clamp on the rigid support pipe, the jaws in the second portion of the clamp having a variable spacing to provide for a sliding movement of the clamp on the shower head assembly and a removal of the shower head assembly from the clamp.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein the shower head is removable and is also rotatably adjustable to control the direction in which water flows from the shower head.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein the rigid support pipe extends downwardly between the first and second ends and wherein the shower head is provided with deflector portions.

14. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein the clamp is made from a resilient material and is provided with a body portion intermediate the first and second pairs of jaws to provide a pivot for the separation of the first pair of jaws from each other and the separation of the second pair of jaws from each other on a selective basis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 459,506 9/1891 Bunting 4-145 574,072 12/ 1896 Ordner 4-145 1,087,006 2/ 1914 Fitzsimons 4-145 1,641,778 9/1927 Overton 4-145 1,758,115 5/1930 Kelly 4-145 2,005,196 6/ 1935 Mears 4-145 2,292,140 8/1942 Lofgren 24-81 2,886,871 5/1959 Urich 24137 3,019,500 2/1962 Dufiin et a1 -2 24-81 3,096,551 7/1963 Shoberg 24-81 FOREIGN PATENTS 95,879 5/1939 Sweden. 388,865 6/1965 Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

